Mr. Smeaton, a baggage handler, was one of the first witnesses to emerge in coverage of the failed plot on July 30, most notably in long interviews on the BBC and CNN.

Smeato’s star turn on the BBC.

With a heavy local accent, strong chin, close-cropped hair and ample doses of machismo, Mr. Smeaton started off his story with a sequence fit for an action hero before the climactic fight. Cigarette in mouth, he told himself “What’s the score? I’ve got to get this sorted.” After that, he didn’t take on 54 bad guys single handedly, but he was one of several people who got to get in a lick — actually a kick — against one of the terrorists.

Meanwhile, the Internet celebrity machine kicked into gear, this time by Mark Tortolano of Glasgow. By creating johnsmeaton.com, he hoped that “a couple hundred people might have a bit of a laugh,” he told The Wall Street Journal.

The site struck an irreverent tone that was irresistible across the Web, providing comic relief to the very serious coverage in the main news outlets. And many more than a couple hundred added to the tribute, including a poster of Osama bin Laden regretting his clash with the baggage handler.

It’s hard to say at this point how much of this has to do with John Smeaton himself — or “Smeato” as they call him — and how much is simply fun on the great Web playground, trading jokes and images in an effort to top one another. But the quality and collaborative nature of the comedy is enough to wonder if Wikipedia should create a competitor to The Onion.

So far, fans have put up 4,200 pounds under the tribute site’s “Pledge a Pint for John” campaign. That’s 1,400 pints — but not one of them is coming from the local justice minister, since that “may not accord with the Executive’s policy on responsible drinking.” He quickly added: “But God bless John Smeaton.”

Indeed, his hometown seems to love him at least as much as everyone else. “John Smeaton is everything that makes me proud to be a Scot,” Alan Clarke told one publication.

While he professes to be overwhelmed with the attention and hoping to “get on with life,” he is still playing the role of Britain’s “have-a-go hero” by issuing defiant statements in an interview with The News of the World over the weekend:

If any more extremists are still wanting to rise up and start trouble, know this: We’ll rise right back up against you. New York, Madrid, London, Paisley … we’re all in this together and make no mistake, none of us will hold back from putting the boot in.

President Bush famously stopped urging Bin Laden to “Bring it on” after a warning from his wife, but now he’s got a young, appealing proxy.

Well, we need a bit of Churchill’s verve in this, in our own time’s gathering storm, and maybe Smeato is providing something salubrious, whilst thickening the sauce of it with the ‘kick’ of his Scottish burr’.

What a bloody shame to trivialize the “West’s” policy of perpetual war. Let cousin John Smeaton volunteer to replace one of America’s soldiers serving a fourth stint in Iraq because crazy Donny and his friends knew more than the generals, and others like Gen. Betrayus were willing to lickspittal their ways into command for the sake of the “honor” involved. God have mercy on them, and the rest of us, and shame on you for printing this idiotic story.

You rock, Smeato!!! As an American who lives close to NYC & lost many community members, not to mention 11 members of my church as well as the father of a young boy in my pre-school class, on 9/11, I salute you. I don’t support the Iraq war, but I do salute your bravery against these crazy extremists. Makes me proud to call myself 1/4 Scottish! Thankyou from all Americans!!!

JPS — What utter tripe. These terrorists are not repressed or victimized. These were doctors who decide to blow the limbs off children with nails and other assorted pieces of shrapnel when they targeted this attack to coincide with the school holidays.

These are terrorists who were in a state of exultation dosing themselves in petrol eager for their 72 virgins. Shameful.

It’s time the media paid attention to the “silent majority” of this world. Instead of constantly telling us how many people are vehemently against the war in Iraq after surveying those who get their information from TV watchers who have nothing more to base their opinion on than the newsreaders on FOX or CNN or that intellectual giant, Katie Couric.

John Smeaton represents the way I feel and I’ll bet the way the majority of people in the united states making $60,000 (the average median income for a family of 4) in America.

There is a constant stream of young people eagerly joining the military in our community. There are plenty of people willing to volunteer on the side of the street to take on terrorists, or on the other side of the world. For every Cindy Sheehan, there are 5 Shirley Schmunks who lost their only children in the war, but that isn’t a story.

Personally,and this in total 20/20 hindsight, I am not sure getting embroiled in Iraq was the best move at the time, but we are there. The job has to be done and done right, we can afford it and we have to finish the job we started. Moreover, in the volunteer military, we have lots of Jane & John Smeatons.

I’m proud to be a Glaswegian (married to a New Yorker), and in common with most of my Smeatonite brethren I’d happily “set about” any extremist that tries to pull a similar stunt in either city… However, “ad”, you are completely mistaken if you think that means us Glaswegians (or New Yorkers!) in general are suddenly in favour of Bush & Blair’s illegal war in an unconnected country, which has increased terrorism. Sorry mate, Neocons and Terrorists can both “get knotted” as far as we’re concerned – they deserve each other.

Yo, JPS — The Scots were attacked — not the other way around. Grow a brain, please.

I was visiting lower Manhattan on 9/11/2001. I’m never going forget what those pinheads did, that day. They keep blaming “the Jews” for their problems — hey, I’m not Jewish (as if that were important).

More power to ya, John Smeaton & Co. Don’t take any malarky from any fool, no matter what they claim.

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The Lede is a blog that remixes national and international news stories -- adding information gleaned from the Web or gathered through original reporting -- to supplement articles in The New York Times and draw readers in to the global conversation about the news taking place online.

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